. >> reporter: cal state east bay political science professor david baggin says with democratic dominant california pretty much in the bag, the president's really here for one purpose. >> we're a wealthy state. we're the biggest donor state. we're the state that both sides, even though we're a heavily democratic state, both sides are going to come out and take advantage of that silicon valley money, hollywood money, that california gold. >> reporter: sharon hoffman is one of the handful of folks who paid top dollar to chat with the president in an intimate setting. and she is thrilled. >> it's a roundtable that is actually taking place apparently at a square table where he is going to talk and answer questions for approximately an hour about anything that the folks there want to talk about. so i'm really excited. it's a real treat and a privilege and really an honor. >> reporter: again, we understand that event is expected to last for about an hour. you can see the secret service continues to be on stand by here. now from here the president will travel about six blocks up to the bill gra